Flaws and All
by Mistress of the Sandbox
Summary: Shikamaru why do you love me?" She asked. Shikamaru tensed at the unexpected question and then he relaxed, Just why did he love Ino, he asked himself.--ShikaIno


**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and no real chickens were harmed in the making of this fic,**

**a.n: My first Ino/Shikamaru! Please read and review. Whatever is in **_Italics_** are events that have happened earlier in Ino and Shikamaru's relationship. Sorry if it's not perfect, I did this at 11:00 p,m, and I'm just getting it up so please don't be too harsh about that. **

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Flaws and All

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Ino and Shikamaru

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Inspired by Flaws and All by Beyonce

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She didn't know why Shikamaru loved her. Ino thought she looked horrible in the morning and yet he still refused to let her out of bed without a kiss, She knew that it certainly wasn't her cooking.

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_"Ino! Stay away from my kitchen!" Shikamaru all but shouted, with a horrified look on his face as Ino made her way to said kitchen. The last time she had entered his kitchen with intentions of cooking they had to involve the ANBU, the Hokage herself, several bottles of hair remover and a veterinarian. Somehow Ino had managed to revive the chicken she was supposed to be plucking and it started to fly around the kitchen with its head flailing side to side on its neck that was supposed to be broken. Things just went wonderfully downhill from there._

Or her gift for gossip.

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_"Oh my gosh! Did you hear about Sasuke and Sakura's recent relationship!" Ten Ten asked Hinata, who shook her head slightly. She didn't much care for gossip but Sakura was one of her best friends so of course she was going to be interested._

_"Rumor has it that Sasuke has finally asked her to go out with him," the chocolate haired kunoichi whispered conspiratorially, but apparently even that wasn't enough for Ino to miss._

_"Ten Ten you are so old! Sasuke and Sakura have been going out for weeks now!" The blonde shook her head in disappointment at her friend's lack of updated information._

_Ten Ten and Hinata got over their initial surprise at Ino just popping up like that and leaned in to question her._

_"Really? That long ago and Sakura didn't even bother to tell us!" Ten Ten fumed._

_"I thought that Sakura would inform us if anything major happened with Sasuke-san,  
Hinata remarked thoughtfully._

_Ino smirked as if she knew it all. "You poor,gullible children! You think that Sasuke would dare let Sakura tell the likes of us anything as important as that!Especially now that she is his willing baby machine._"

_At their shocked and blushing (Hinata) faces Ino continued. "Yep that's right! Sasuke has wasted no time in restoring his clan and our Sakura is now 3 months pregnant, And thats not even the half of it! Apparently Sakura was forced into the relationship with Sasuke because she and the hot elder Uchiha brother Itachi had a fling that left him in love but of course with she and him having to be mortal enemies and all that they can't be together. But get this-" They were interrupted by a waitress bringing Ten Ten her sake, which Ino accepted and began to drink much to the brunettes annoyance but she decided to let it go as Ino leaned forward and began again._

_"Sakura's not even sure if the kid is Itachi's or Sasuke's so she decided to go out with Sasuke to prevent any gossip on just whose kid it is. My moneys on Itachi 'cuz if he does everything else better than Sasuke then why not be able to get her pregnant before Sasuke even realizes that Sakura is perfect for him."_

_Hinata glanced over Ino's shoulder and froze in terror at who was standing right behind the oblivious blonde. Ten Ten too had noticed and had decided to calmly run like hell, grabbing Hinata's jacket to lead her out as well._

_"Hey guys where are you going? I still haven't told you how she's gonna make Lady Tsunade the Godmother of her and Itachi's children yet!" _

_Ino got no response from either girl so she decided to take her leave as well and go look for Shikamaru and-ran right smack into him and Sakura, who was looking like she was ready to pound someone (probably Naruto) into the ground._

_"What's up Forehead? Shika?" Ino smiled at her boyfriend and best friend._

_"Ino what have we said about gossiping?" Shikamaru drawled._

_"That it is very distasteful and that it can sometimes hurt you or the people that you are so shamelessly gossiping about and that hurt could very well mean pain of the physical kind most of the time," She recited dutifully,_

_"Great that you know what you're doing! So tell me why were you just gossiping about me?!" Sakura screeched._

_"You're life is very entertaining," Ino pointed out._

_"My life is not for your amusement!" Sakura ground out, looking ready to pounce but Shikamaru stepped in at the last minute, _

_"Sakura please spare Ino's life, She won't do it again or I'll take her punishment for her," He said, sounding not at all like he was pleading for his girlfriend's safety, but instead talking about the weather._

_Sakura contemplated this for a moment and reluctantly accepted, _

_"But the next time this happens I will be looking for you Shikamaru Nara!" Sakura turned abruptly and left._

_Ino grinned cockily,_

_"As if she could lay a finger on you with me around! I am not afraid to show up my best friend if she asks for it!" She looked at Shikamaru, expecting him to be supporting her but instead she was met with his angry face._

_"What?!" she asked._

_"You just can't control your urges to gossip can you?" he ground out,"Ino I won't keep picking up after your messes, you troublesome woman!" He turned and left her standing in the small restaurant. She then left and spotted him heading towards their apartment._

_"Hey you're not angry are you?" She asked playfully. The look he sent her made her steps falter a little. _

_"I'm sorry Shika for getting you into these situations. I'll understand if you want to end it right now-" Shikamaru cut her off before she could finish that line of thinking. He sighed heavily._

_"Ino I definitely don't want to end our relationship. I'm just saying that you need to be more sensitive to others and stop this gossiping nonsense."_

_"Stop gossiping? Me?" Ino muttered to herself, Shikamaru tried to hug her but she yanked away from him. "Just who the hell do you think you are?" she burst out._

_Shikamaru looked at her like she was insane. "Uh Ino are you alright?"  
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_"No I'm not alright! How dare you tell me not to gossip!" Ino growled._

_Shikamaru didn't know what brought on her sudden mood change but he knew he had to make her happy or she'd flip out. _

_"Uh Ino how would you like to go shopping?" He asked, hoping that his plan would work,_

_"Shopping?! I'd love to!" She smiled. Shikamaru sighed in relief and they headed to Konaha's shopping center where he'd soon realize what a fool he was to suggest shopping while he stood hopelessly on the side holding numerous bags._

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She knew that it wasn't the way she could ruin her credit within only four hours of shopping. Ino also knew she could be a major bitch every now and then and yet he still stuck by her side, So what was it? Ino was always a straightforward girl so she just asked the Nara genius himself, who was currently cloud gazing on the roof of their apartment. She plopped down next to him silently. He pulled her closer to him and she let him lay his head in her lap.

"Shikamaru why do you love me?" She asked. Shikamaru tensed at the unexpected question and then he relaxed, Just why did he love Ino, he asked himself, Ino was a host of imperfections but he wouldn't have her any other way. He came to the conclusion that he really didn't know why he loved her, He for one didn't really think the _why _was important, only that he did and would continue to for a very long time,

"I love you because you are Ino Yamanaka and for me to be Shikamaru Nara and not love you wouldn't really be right, At least no to me. To be perfectly honest, Ino I don't really know why I love you. I just do," Shikamaru sighed. Ino didn't answer immediately and Shikamaru began to worry that he had said the wrong thing,

"Does that answer work for you? I know it's not the Prince Charming answer you were probably looking for-"

"Shikamaru I wasn't looking for a "Prince Charming" answer, I was looking for an honest response from you and what I got, I liked because your perfectly honest answer was perfect to me, I don't know why you love me and that's why I love you" Ino murmured and she bent down to kiss him. Perfect,

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_"I'm a puzzle yes indeed  
Ever complex in every way  
And all the pieces aren't even in the box  
And yet you see the picture clear as day"_

_-Beyonce "Flaws and All"_


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